Public Health names 11 new nursing aides

Eleven students are now nursing aides after completing the two-year nursing assistant program that was pioneered at the Saipan Southern High School.

Public Health Secretary Joseph Kevin Villagomez and SSHS principal Jesse Tudela, along with Public School System associate commissioner Jackie Quitugua, presented certificates of completion to the second batch of nursing aide graduates during a pinning and path of light ceremony at Pacific Islands Club Thursday night.

Melanie Cruz emerged as the most outstanding graduate after being bestowed the first honor award. Cruz is the daughter of Milagros and Domingo Cruz. She will be moving to Las Vegas, Nevada to work and she intends to pursue nursing at the University of Nevada.

“I never expected this award and it’s a great honor. I can say that throughout the many experiences that I went through, everything was worth it,” she told Saipan Tribune.

Second honor went to Jove Jenn Taman, while four other graduates were given special awards: Kathleen Laurio, excellence in caring; John Raymond Sablan, excellence in communication; Melanie Ramon, excellence in professionalism; and Nicole Reyes, excellence in holistic care.

The other new nursing assistants are Su Jin Jeon, Summer Palacios, Mereylen Denora, Coquina Teregeyo, and Vivalyn Yangirelit.

The two-year nursing assistantship program tries to build local nursing capacity. It was initiated by SSHS in 2009 in collaboration with DPH, Workforce Investment Agency, NMC Area Health Education Center, and PSS.

According to Villagomez, the program “came to being in 2009 and SSHS stepped up to the plate. For the first cohort, seven students completed the program, today we have 11, and next year we’re expecting 25,” said Villagomez, adding that some of the 11 graduates will be hired by the Commonwealth Health Center while others will pursue college after graduation. DPH plans to expand the program to all public high schools on three islands.

During tough times, Villagomez said, DPH needs to augment its lack of nurses by employing nursing assistants because they provide a vital role in the delivery of health care.

CHC only has 175 nurses right now, down from 235 nurses last year. Majority of CHC’s nurses are nonresident workers from the Philippines.

The nursing assistantship program is offered as a fifth period subject at the school. For a student to complete the process, they have to take it in their 11th grade to complete the required clinical and lecture hours for the program. Each day, the students take almost two hours of class instruction and over two hours of clinical sessions at the hospital.